2012 Belmont Stakes Odds, Horses & Post Positions

Las Vegas, NV -- 2012 Belmont Stakes Odds, Horses & Post Positions. I'll Have Another drew post 11 from which he'll begin his quest to win the Belmont Stakes and become the first Triple Crown winner since 1978, 34 years. A field of a dozen 3-year-olds was entered for the 1 1/2-mile Belmont, with the late addition of My Adonis. The number is only fitting for the historic attempt, as there have been 11 previous Triple Crown winners. And since Affirmed triumphed in 1978, 11 more horses have won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, only to lose in the mile-and-a-half Belmont.

The post position draw was held Wednesday morning, with I'll Have Another installed as the 4-5 morning-line favorite against 11 rivals. "We're in good shape," said trainer Doug O'Neill, adding that the outside post will give young jockey Mario Gutierrez an opportunity to see how the race unfolds to his inside." Even with a double-figure field, the draw is regarded as less of a factor in the Belmont than the other Triple Crown races. "Being in post position 11 will allow us to see how the pace sets up," said O'Neill, quoted in the Daily Racing Form.

Belmont Stakes 2012 - I'll Have Another Challengers

The two main challengers to the Triple Crown bid are thought to be Dullahan, who drew the No. 5 post, and Union Rags, who will break from the third spot. Dullahan, who finished a fast-closing third in the Kentucky Derby, is listed at 5-1 odds under jockey Javier Castellano. Union Rags, one of the top two-year-olds last year, was made the third choice at 6-1.

Dullahan's trainer Dale Romans was asked if he has any qualms about spoiling a Triple Crown bid. "None at all," was the less-than-surprising answer. "I'd like to have 120,000 people booing me on the way out," added Romans. "Those are great horses who have won the Triple Crown and I think they'll want to earn it. We owe it to the past Triple Crown winners to make him earn it."

Belmont Stakes OTB online betting at Belmont Park with Off Track Betting internet racebook

Trained by Michael Matz, Union Rags finished seventh in the Derby after a rough trip and will have a new jockey aboard in John Velazquez, who won the Belmont Stakes in 2007 on Rags to Riches. John Velazquez replaces Julien Leparoux on Union Rags, a Grade 1 winner at Belmont last term, after a troubled passage in the Kentucky Derby, where he was only seventh behind I'll Have Another.

The rest of the field, starting with No. 1, is Street Life (12-1), Unstoppable U (30-1), Atigun (30-1), Ravelo's Boy (50-1), Five Sixteen (50-1), Guyana Star Dweej (50-1), Paynter (8-1) Optimizer (20-1) and My Adonis (20-1).

Outsider My Adonis was a late addition to the field for the trainer Kelly Breen and owners George and Lori Hall, who won last year's Belmont with 24-1 longshot Ruler On Ice. Eclipse Award-winning jockey Ramon Dominguez takes the ride.

2012 Belmont Stakes Odds & Entries